Airborne: Huntington Beach, 15th May 2011

I've led a few Route 66 trips which finish in Long Beach and I get a day to myself, all being well. Usually, I hire a car and head down the coast to try and find the surfers and Huntington Beach is normally the best spot for me as I can go out on the pier and get fairly close to the action.
This time, I brought along a 2x extension tube for my lens which got me close but, unfortunately the autofocus wasn't quick enough to keep up with the twists and turns of the surfers. Out of the 400 or so pictures I took, hardly any are really sharp. I won't be doing that again.
This guy was a long way from the pier and he was flipped through the air by a crashing wave, describing a beautiful arc before coming back down. He looks as if he can fly, which he could, briefly.
Technically, the photo is hopeless but I like it and maybe I'll get the chance to go back soon.

Sri Lanka: Tasty & Toasty

Sunday 4 November 2012

I've just started my final tour of the season - Sri Lanka. I'm here without laptop or fancy lenses as I've got shoulder problems and lugging heavy gear around is giving me grief. I took this shot of the chef at our first hotel in Colombo with my iPhone.

London 2012

Monday 6 August 2012
Commuters?
Probably not. These three Japanese ladies were on their way to Wembley to watch their women's football team take on the French (and win). It was a terrific game and as usual, the fans were fantastic. The guy next to them didn't seem to be too interested in the outcome of the match.

We happened to see three of the Japanese football matches; it was great fun being amongst the fans as they really went overboard when it came to decorating themselves to support their teams: rivers of facepaint were used, tons of fabric in costumes and flags. Add to that their good natured enthusiasm whether they were winning or losing and you had a photographer's dream. The fans are what makes the Olympics so much fun.

We also found a few French fans who'd got into the spirit of the occasion. There are lots more fan pics via the link below.

More London 2012 Photos

London 2012

Thursday 2 August 2012

There was no work for us during the Olympics so we went out and enjoyed them, taking in football in Coventry, Newcastle and Wembley, visits to the Olympic Park, a trip to the top of Anish Kapoor's Orbit tower, beach volleyball and just mooching around London.

Today was another great day at the Olympic Park. I saw a gold medal up close, around the neck of the USA cyclist Kristen Armstrong, who won the women's time trial yesterday for the second time. she was appearing on America's "Today" programme, the equivalent of our breakfast televison. It goes out live from the Olympic Park, starting at 7am on the US east coast, which is noon here.
Apart from athletes, Jamie Oliver popped up to do a bit of Olympic cookery for the Americans. I also saw Boris Johnson holding forth by the side of the river - risky for someone with his track record. Excuse the pun...
I took many photos today but this one, which was the first of the day is my favourite.

We also had a chance to mooch around London, just enjoying the the Olympic vibe. We encountered this patriotic family just outside the Excel, where boxing and martial arts were being held.

Vienna

Tuesday 10 July 2012: Grand Finale

A group photo of all the participants in the Youth Music Festival, including The Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra, who we looked after (They are in the balcony on the right, dressed in black). This was taken in the Koncerthaus, another fantastic music venue in Vienna.
The festival was fun but bedlam. The organisation was non-existent, but what the heck.
The festival included young people from everywhere, including the girls & boys of the Maibuy' ISkahile Youth Development Choir, who struck a pose every time a camera was pointed at them.
I'm off to bed as I have to be up in five hours to see the first part of the group off.

Striking A Pose Backstage At The Konzerthaus

L'Italie!

Thursday 28 June 2012

I'm in France, in Nice. There's a big football match in the European Cup between France & Italy & there are quite a few supporters of both nationalities around. I've just come in to see that Italy are two up against France, so these two must be even happier at the moment.

Spain: Local Culture

Monday 18 June 2012

Cuenca. Our travels in Spain with The Chicago Youth Symphony Orchestra.The group had dinner in a restaurant on the Plaza Mayor in Cuenca while Spain were making hard work of overcoming Croatia in the European Championship. Some of the group wanted to watch so a few of us stayed in the bar so that they could see the game the way it should be seen. They really enjoyed the experience though one or two were nervous about me taking the pic, just in case the folks back home get to see their offspring being corrupted in the dens and dives of Europe.

In Valencia we had lunch outside the old market and one of the kids ended up joining in with the street musicians: a coming together of generations and cultures through music.

A Hawai'ian in Harrowden

Friday 4 November 2011

This is Princess Ka'iulani, the woman who would be Queen of Hawai'i. Her story is a romantic tragedy which was made into a film in 2009, which seems to have sunk without trace.
She was sent to the UK to be educated, living in Kettering and being schooled in Harrowden Hall, now a golf club.
While she was here, Hawai'i was annexed by the USA. She returned to campaign for the restitution of the Islands' sovereignty and was regarded as the rightful monarch of Hawai'i by the people. She caught a chill and eventually died at the age of twenty three.
I learned of the connection years ago when I took the Hawai'i' Youth Opera Chorus on tour around Europe (One of my all time favourite groups!), so I popped along to take a photo of the portrait which was presented by a descendant of the princess in 1995. I took the original pre-digital so I finally went back today to catch up with myself. The Lei which is draped around the portrait is starting to disintegrate. Time for another visit, methinks.

Walk On By

Sunday 16 October 2011

I had a nice weekend in London with M who was guiding at Wimbledon yesterday and today, staying overnight rather than travelling up and down twice.
We went to Kew Gardens which I've never visited before, despite having lived close by and driven past it dozens of times and always thinking that I'd get around to it. Well, now I have. It's wonderful and huge. M left to go to work after a while and I ended up staying for around four hours. Now that I've finally made it I must go back - I just won't leave it thirty years (Thirty Years!) this time.
Today, I walked from our hotel in Euston to Wimbledon, a ten mile stroll that took me through lots of different areas of the city, just following my nose. It's a brilliant way to see the Capital. I didn't know I'd be walking ten miles when I set off though!

I took this picture on the Kings Road in Chelsea.

Privateer

Saturday 24 September 2011

Charlestown Naval Yard in Boston, home of "Old Ironsides". This chap belongs to a naval historical society. Today he was the captain of an American Privateer, a sort of legal pirate as he had a Letter of Marque from the government which gave him permission to attack enemy ships, in this case British as he was representing the War of 1812 - 14.
Of course the Americans were just doing what the English, French et al had done before them - all's fair in love & war.

Music Cruise: Becks!

Sunday 4 September 2011: Becks!

Behzod (pronounced Bech -zod) Abduraimov, aged 19 - ish, from Uzbekistan, won the 2009 London International Piano Competition. He is jaw-droppingly good and received a standing ovation last night, even though he was feeling seasick.
We've had wonderful performances from Anna Hashimoto, Sergej Krylov and the ECO, with more to come.

Ruth Contractor,  oboist with the English Chamber Orchestra, catches five in during rehearsals near Syracuse, Sicily.

Ketchikan Headware

Monday 22 August 2011

Cruising the Inside Passage from Seattle.
It's pouring in Ketchikan, as it nearly always is, but beautiful. Sometimes, getting soaked to the skin is a joyful thing.
I've lots of pictures of cruise people in ponchos and with umbrellas but these two girls had to be my favourite. They were in a shop with their would be purchases on their heads. When I asked for a picture, they were happy to oblige, perfectly at ease looking silly for the camera.
I love the direct gaze of the younger one, who must be all of ten years old, looking cool with a cuddly toy on her head.

It didn't rain the whole time...

Blue Eyed Amber

Tuesday 16 August 2011

This is Amber, an Aussie who was working at the Lake Louise Gondola. Her eyes were so incredibly blue, I just had to get a photo. Amber has Maori Heritage - and a bit of Norse, judging by those eyes.
On the way down the mountain, I saw a large Grizzly Bear. I didn't have my camera set up so I missed the chance of a good shot. We've seen three bears already today so the omens are good once again. I may even get a half decent photo of one this time around!

We are at the start of a trip through the Canadian Rockies followed by a cruise to Alaska.

Absolute Bounder!

Saturday 6 August 2011: Absolute Bounder!

Barkerville, British Columbia. The site of a gold strike by Billy Barker in 1862 - which led to the Cariboo Gold Rush and B.C. eventually becoming part of Canada.
The town was inhabited until the Seventies, now it's a living museum. There's still gold in them hills though.
This chap plays a well bred Englishman with an eye for the ladies and a taste for opium and gambling. To keep things fair, his accent did a tour of the British Isles.
There are lots of actors playing characters from the heyday of the town so they inhabit different time periods. It's all great fun.
We started off with a guide called Holladay, who had Heidi pigtails and was incredibly chpper. So chipper, I felt like murdering her. Finally, it dawned on me that she was one of the cast - nobody could be that chipper!
The vicar is the real deal: the Church of Canada found itself in a theme park but have come to an understanding with the Province over their being there.

I Heart Goths

Sunday 12 June 2011

Leipzig: Wave Gotik Treffen.

M & I are on tour with a youth orchestra through Germany and the Czech Repulic. In Leipzig we came across the Goth festival. There were so many people parading around in costume that it was almost overwhelming: families, older people, young girls being shadowed by their slightly anxious mothers, sub/dom couples, tranvestites and who knows how many other genres of goth there were, all of them stunning to look at.
The lovely thing is that there were lots of people out enjoying the show and almost as many photographers as there were people to photograph.

WGT 2011

Long Beach

Monday 16 May 2011

Up early to go down to the harbour and get a few pics of The Queen Mary. She could do with a lick of paint.
I took this as I came out of the hotel. It's slightly soft as I snatched the shot but I like it.
Time to get the paperwork done, round up suitcases and people and head for the airport.

By the way - my nose ran the whole length of Route 66 - is this a record?

Life's For Sharing

Friday 25 February 2011
Miraflores Locks on the Panama Canal. Normally this terrace is packed with people watching the progress of shipping through the canal. Today, the rain drove everyone but the most hardy under cover.

These strangers got to know each other a little under the umbrella.

Tomorrow, we go through the locks.

The Music Cruise

Friday 29 October 2010

Every year, M. & I host The Music Cruise, a week at sea with The English Chamber Orchestra and their guests.

Joshua Bell, Ana-Maria Vera & Steven Isserlis rehearse on board for the final recital of the Cruise.
Another year, another week of brilliant music, though some of it passed me by as I'm not a classical music buff, but I feel privileged to be a part of this every year. Roll on the next one.!

Anima Young Singers, Morocco

Monday 28 June 2010

M. and I took the Anima Young Singers Choir on a tour of Andalucia and Morocco which was an exhilarating and challenging experience for all of us.
In Morocco, they sang at the US Consulate in Rabat on July 4th and performed in Marrakech and Casablanca with local children, mainly street kids and those from the ghetto who were trying to make something of their lives with the help of local charities. To see the love, dedication and work put in by the people running the charities, successfully allowing the kids to realise their potential was truly awe inspiring and humbling.
In Casablanca, one man called Boubker Mazoz had gone into the poor neighbourhood of Sidi Moumen where the 2007 Casablanca suicide bombers came from. He realised that they must have been without hope to do what they did, so he asked the locals what they wanted and set about getting it. When we visited, we went to their neighbourhood, once ahead of the tour then with the group. What we saw was a cultural centre which was a school, playground, library and focus for the community. The people running it all came from the neighbourhood, had been mentored and were now mentoring and teaching people from the community.
They had a local photographer come in to teach photography so M & I gave them one of our SLRs and lenses. On the same day, an American lady and her kids came by as they do every year - this time with a bunch of little digital video cameras. Boubker has the knack of charming people into helping him - and he looks a bit like Omar Sharif, which doesn't hurt.
In Marrakech and in the Atlas mountains we found people working to make a difference to their communities. One was a shelter cum school for street kids, the other a school for village girls, started by an Englishman & Dutch couple who made the local village elder understand that educating girls was the best way to achieving stability in a community and, having got him on board, put him in charge of the whole affair.
The trip was wild! The organisers were so pleased to have an American children's choir seek them out that we were feted and entertained, with many joint concerts. Moroccan hospitality is boundless - we just hung on and enjoyed the ride!
It's at times like these when I really am grateful for what I do as a job.
Having said all that, this photo was taken in Granada, in the Church of the Virgin des Angustias.

Weaver, Peru

Sunday 2 November 2008: Weaver

The Sacred Valley, Peru. This man was spinning alpaca wool when we happened by.